Irregularity
by LaughingLee
Summary: <html><head></head>Doctor Helen Magnus thought life had nothing left for her after the death of her daughter. Much to her surprise, a chance meeting leads to so much more. But, can she trust this new woman in her life? (Femslash)</html>


**Irregularity**

Sanctuary Fan Fiction (Season 2/3)  
>Doctor Helen Magnus thought life had nothing left for her after the death of her daughter. Much to her surprise, a chance meeting leads to so much more. But can she trust this new woman in her life?<br>No copyright infringement intended. Purely for fun.  
>Written by LaughingLee<p>

LLLLL

The club was still empty and the blonde sitting at the bar enjoyed the quiet before the storm. She had her back to the dance floor, but could see the few couples reflected in the mirror behind the bartender. A glance to her left kept the entrance under a watchful eye. When the door opened, the blonde's expression showed no change except for a small rise in her eyebrow. The woman was stunning. Her long brown hair hung loose around her shoulders. She walked with a subtle self-confidence, not the overt bravado most people used to cover their fears and insecurities. Her leather jacket was carefully placed over the back of her chair. A crisp light-blue blouse hung over a pair of perfectly fitting black leather pants. The blonde ran her gaze over the brunette as she settled down and called the bartender.

She was about to take another sip of her drink when she saw the brunette's gaze travel over the other patrons in the club. It was her eyes that grabbed the blonde's attention. Her gaze was clear and mimicked her aura of self-assurance. A flicker of sadness appeared and then was quickly brought under control.

"Bad idea," the blonde whispered to herself. Against all her self-imposed rules, she got up and moved over next to the brunette. "Can I buy you a drink?"

The brunette stared at her and frowned. "Is that the best you could think of?"

"I'm sorry?" the blonde replied. The woman's accent was definitively British and the blonde's interest was piqued even further.

"Did you honestly think that line would work? Or is this how you operate? Preying on what you deem desperate women in the hope they'll simply fall into your arms and follow you home."

"Firstly, you don't know me well enough to make any of those silly accusations. Secondly, I never thought you looked desperate."

"What did you think? What were your first thoughts when I walked through those doors?" The brunette's tone was low and bitter.

"I thought you were exceptionally hot. Not only beautiful, but sexy." The blonde felt a sense of satisfaction at the surprise on the brunette's face. "I very rarely walk up to strangers and offer them a drink. You looked unhappy and I thought I could cheer you up a little. But, no harm done. I'll let you be angry at the world by yourself."

"Wait, I apologise. It was unfair to take my anger out on you." The blonde woman turned back and took the offered seat as the brunette extended her hand. "I'm Helen."

"Leera," the blonde replied, shaking Helen's hand.

"Is that your real name?"

"Yes, one of many," Leera replied and grinned. Helen frowned, but then motioned to the bartender and ordered them another round.

"What brings you to this fine establishment?" Helen asked. She took a large gulp of her scotch, loving the way it burned her throat.

"I'm in town on business and needed a drink." Leera knew she was treading a fine line. The rational part of her mind kept shouting to get out. Smaller trangressions of her rules had put her life in much greater danger before.

"Why do I get the impression you're only telling me half-truths?"

"I won't lie to you, but I can't promise to tell you the truth. Does that seem fair? I only met you a few minutes ago."

"Yes, I can accept those terms. And that drink, thank you very much."

Leera chuckled and called for the bartender again. "Why is it easier to talk to someone you hardly know, but the tiniest conversation with family usually turns into a fight?"

Helen glanced suspiciously at Leera. She shook away her frown and replied, "Perhaps because the people you love have the greatest potential to hurt you."

"Is that why you're here? Did something happen to someone close to you?" Leera felt the sense of loss coming off the brunette in waves. Leera could almost taste the intense hurt and hatred. She had trained herself to block emotions from others, but something in Helen had made her drop her defenses. Her gift had served her well in her work, but could be crippling if she wasn't careful - to herself and to those around her.

"What makes you think that?" Helen glanced around again.

"Unlucky guess," Leera replied. "Only family can make you so unhappy and angry at the same time. I'm sorry for your loss."

Helen frowned again and looked at the younger woman next to her like you would a frustrating piece of a puzzle. You can't quite see where or how it should fit.

"Since I'm sure you don't want to talk about what happened, how about some small talk? Like the weather?" Leera smiled.

"All right," Helen agreed and took another sip of her drink. "I've only gotten back today and found it frightfully cold. Has it been like this all week?"

"Apparently there's a cold snap moving through the area. But, I haven't been here that long either so my knowledge of the city's weather patterns is based on what my grumpy neighbour shouts out in the morning."

"Shouts out? What do you mean?" Helen found herself smiling at the sudden wide-eyed grin on Leera's face.

"I live next to a very old, but without the sweet, lady. She's convinced I'm some hardened criminal come to town for my latest heist or something." Leera chuckled, knowing her neighbour did have her reasons. On her previous visit, the elderly woman had caught Leera in the hallway late one night covered in blue blood and carrying quite a few sharp-edged weapons.

Leera decided to leave out that last part and told Helen how the old lady would have entire conversations with the television. She would berate anything she thought was wrong. The weather was constantly in trouble and the elderly neighbour made sure her television set and the rest of the hallway knew it as well. Helen chuckled as Leera mimicked the old lady's expressions of disgust and was surprised to find herself relaxing slightly. Perhaps it had been a good idea to come to the club.

"I have known a few similar characters in my line of work," Helen said. "I would need a vital piece of information or equipment as quickly as possible. But, my supplier ended up being closer to the departure than the arrival lounge. It would take all of my patience to listen to the stories of grandchildren who never visit or adventures from their wildly exciting youth."

"I can imagine how you would be sitting silently in torture, waiting for them to finish. All with your very calm and very British manners." Leera smiled. She swirled the last sip in her glass before finishing her drink. "I sometimes envy people at that age. To know you've finished. You did what you wanted and now you can rest."

"That's a strange statement coming from someone so young," Helen said even though her own views on the matter were quite similar.

"I'm probably older than you think," Leera replied quickly. She was usually so careful with her words. "And, besides, dying at the end of a fantastically fulfilling and good life isn't such a bad thing."

Helen nodded. The club had slowly filled and the music was this side of deafening. She tried to get the bartender's attention, but the woman was running back and forth like a tennis ball. The dance floor was teeming with women of all ages. Some were in groups laughing and smiling. Others were in twos and oblivious to the world around them.

"I'm sorry. I thought I'd be cheering you up and here I've got us talking about death." Leera had to raise her voice a little to be heard. She winced as the treble in the speakers spiked. She leaned closer to Helen. "I'd like to talk some more. How about a walk? Outside?"

"I'd like that," Helen replied. She grabbed her jacket and Leera helped her put it on. Helen got a better look at Leera as she followed her outside. She did seem older than what she looked. There was something in the way she carried herself. Helen knew that gait too well. It was as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders.

"Wow, I hadn't realized how stuffy it was inside. This fresh air is great!" Leera looked at Helen. She knew it would be safer if she simply made some excuse and left. But, her mouth wasn't asking her head for any advice. "The bridge is around the corner. What do you think? The city lights and the river should be a magnificent sight this time of night."

"I must have driven over that bridge countless times before," Helen replied.

"True, but have you walked underneath it?"

Helen grimaced, but Leera's smile drove away any misgivings and she walked with her down the street. When they reached the footpath running parallel to the cars over the bridge, Leera turned away and headed down to the huge steel and concrete pylons on the riverbank. They walked right underneath the massive structure. Helen was about to question the safety of their destination when her blonde companion hugged the concrete and pulled a door open.

"You should stop frowning so much." Leera chuckled. "It's safe. I'm really not some murdering thief despite what my neighbours might think. This is a maintenance entrance. It leads to a walkway that runs all the way along the underside of the bridge."

"I'm assuming we're not technically allowed to be here," Helen said, peering through the door. There were no lights, but she could see a few concrete steps that joined an open steel and mesh walkway.

"No, but I get a feeling that's not going to bother us tonight." Leera grinned and pulled out a small flashlight.

"For a supposed ordinary citizen, you are very prepared for the dark," Helen quipped as she followed Leera and closed the door behind them.

"I think you should always be prepared for the dark. You never know what might be lurking in there."

"Very true," Helen muttered. The wind picked up as they moved away from the pylons and out over the river. They walked to about a third of the bridge where a massive concrete column protected them somewhat from the cold.

"Isn't it amazing?" Leera said. Helen was only thinking about the long walk and how the chill seemed to be going right through her jacket. She glanced at the wide-eyed look on Leera's face and followed her gaze.

"Yes," was all Helen could manage. She had been in the city for years, but had never seen anything like this before.

The view was magical. The noise from the traffic was drowned out by the thick concrete above them and the wind whistling strange melodies through the steel. The moon was waning and the thin sliver that remained hung over the river. The lights from the city cast a bright and lively glow into the sky. The skyline was beautiful, but what took the women's breath away was the reflection in the river. The dots and squares of light were thrown into the water like a million pulsating coins in a wishing well. The small waves made them dance and coalesce into a fantastical pattern of light.

"How did you find this place?" Helen asked. She pulled her jacket tightly around her and moved deeper into the gap in the concrete.

"Whenever I think I've lived enough, seen enough, done enough, I go on a sort of a quest. I scour the city or village or whatever place I'm in for something I've never seen before." Leera's smile grew. "I've never been disappointed. There's always something more out there."

Leera's words hit a chort in Helen. She smiled as she felt her heart lift. For the first time since she lost her daughter, Ashley, she felt lighter. Helen tore her gaze away from the river and looked at Leera. There was a sense of such utter happiness emanating from the younger woman. Despite the fact that she was shivering from the cold.

"Come here before you freeze to death," Helen admonished, taking Leera's hand and pulling her into the gap in the concrete column. The space was not that big and Leera found herself squeezed tightly against Helen.

"Helen, do you believe in fate?" Leera could feel Helen's warmth through her jacket and was close enough to see the tiny flecks in her dark blue eyes.

"No, absolutely not," Helen replied, trying to convince herself that the increase in her heart rate was simply from the exertion of the walk.

"Me neither. I believe in right now." Leera cupped Helen's face in her hands. When the brunette didn't pull away, Leera leaned closer and gently brushed Helen's lips with her own. Helen shifted and Leera immediately made to pull back. She was pleasantly surprised to have misinterpreted Helen's movement. The brunette wrapped her arms around Leera's waist and pulled her closer for a second kiss. Leera could taste the scotch on Helen's tongue and felt her heart beating wildly against her chest. She wished the moment would last forever, but both women need oxygen. Helen opened her eyes, surprised at how completely reckless she was being. One look into the smiling eyes of the woman in her arms and those thoughts evaporated. Helen felt the laughter bubbling in her stomach and chuckled.

"Right now is wonderful, isn't it?" Leera said, laughing as well.

She put her hands underneath Helen's jacket, hugging her tightly and leaned her head against Helen's shoulder. They stood like that for as long as possible, but the cold had both of them shivering too soon. They grudgingly stepped out of the concrete gap and headed back to the street. The few blocks to the club were done slowly with the women walking hand-in-hand. Once there, Helen ducked back inside and returned with a motorcycle helmet.

"You have a bike?" Leera asked and followed Helen to the parking lot behind the club.

"It's not mine, but I like riding it every now and then," Helen replied and was glad Leera didn't ask her further questions. She hadn't the heart to get rid of Ashley's motorcycle yet. "This is goodbye then."

"Sadly, it is." Leera crossed her arms. "And, to avoid any awkward silences, I'm going to say what we're both thinking. As much as I'd like for this to be more than a chance meeting and an amazing kiss, I can't. My life would get in the way."

Helen took out her keys, quickly wiping the frown from her face when she saw Leera grinning. "My situation is somewhat similar. But, I do want to thank you. This was exactly what I'd needed."

"No thanks needed. Since there weren't any desperate women in the club, I didn't have anything planned for the evening anyway." Leera chuckled and gave Helen a quick embrace. "I had a wonderful evening, Helen. Maybe we'll run into each other again."

"Perhaps," Helen replied. She straddled the motorcycle and pulled her hair into a twist and pushed it underneath her jacket. The helmet was fastened and she glanced at Leera. "What are you staring at?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm not missing one minute of a beautiful, sexy woman, in leather I might add, getting on her bike and driving off."

"Do you have no shame?" Helen teased, glad the helmet was hiding her blush.

"None that's ever been useful," Leera replied. Helen shook her head and started the motorbike. With a final nod, she changed gear and sped off. Leera kept watching until Helen turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

LLLLL

Leera was furious with herself. How could she have missed the alarm? The clock must be broken. Or she forgot to set it. The latter was not something she liked thinking about. Leera had been trying very hard to get her mind back on track after that night with Helen, a woman she knew nothing about. Leera focused again on the map in her hands.

The park was densely forested and with few hiking trails, there wasn't a lot of human traffic. Perfect breeding ground for a gar. Lee sighed and glanced at the setting sun. Gars usually come out late afternoon, scavenge for food and head back into their nests before sunset. If she were lucky, she might still catch this one before it settled down for the night. With the change in seasons, the gar would be getting ready for a long summer. The hibernation period was also part of the breeding cycle to get the eggs ready for hatching. If she could get to the gar before it fertilized its eggs, she could relocate the abnormal safely. Leera did not want to miss this chance and come back in a few months to a forest full of gars. But, first she needed to find the gar and its nest.

"Aaagh!"

The scream came from Leera's right and she dashed through the undergrowth. The adrenaline raced through her veins and Leera's pulse quickened. She crashed through a thick patch of trees into a small clearing. It took seconds to take in the situation, but it felt as if her brain went into slow motion.

The gar was standing next to a woman lying on the forest floor. Blood was dripping from its claws and it was furious. Leera took a small breath to steady her mind, but had already felt the brunt of the gar's anger. The gar was moving to take another swipe at the prone woman and Leera jumped in between.

"Hang on, big buddy," Leera said softly. The gar stared at her with its oddly-shaped reptilian eyes. She gauged his emotions and then dropped to her knees and bent her head down. "I'm not here to hurt you. Actually, I've got something for you."

Leera kept her eyes averted as the gar ran a claw over her head and shoulders. She stifled a cry of pain when the gar's claws inadvertendly ripped through her shirt and slashed her arm. Leera pulled a tied-up bundle of leaves and herbs from her pocket. The gar immediately sniffed the air and the scales over its chest flexed. She glanced up and saw the gar extend its arms. Careful not to make any sudden moves, Leera placed the leafy bouquet into its open claws. The gar held the greenery like it was some kind of lost treasure. With a final snarl at the woman on the ground, the gar stalked off into the trees. Leera made a quick mental note of all the distinctive markings on the gar's body and tail.

"Thank you. You saved my life."

When Leera heard the accent, a shiver ran down her spine. It couldn't be, could it? She bent down next to the woman.

"This isn't how I thought we'd meet again," Leera said. Helen looked as shocked as she was. The blonde pushed aside the shredded material of Helen's shirt to see how much damage the abnormal had done.

"No, neither did I," Helen replied. Her mind was reeling with questions, but one prevailed. "How bad is it? Green?"

"Unfortunately, yes. The gar must have extended it's middle claw when it struck you. The poison's seeped into your wounds." Leera lifted a more of the shirt, but all of the cuts were deep. Large gashes with neon green edges covered Helen's stomach. Leera stared at Helen. "Wait a minute, how do you know about the poison? And why aren't you freaking out about a massive lizard monster attacking you?"

"Probably for the same reason you knew which herbs would calm it down. We're both part of the abnormal fan club." Helen tried to sit up, but struggled to move her legs. "It seems the paralysis has already made it's way into my nervous system. We'll need to move quickly. I have a team …"

"Helen, stop," Leera said and put a hand on her shoulder. "It looks like the poison's already progressed through your body. You think you're saying something coherent, but I only got the funny bit about the abnormal fan club. The rest were all disjointed sounds."

Helen tried to reply, but her tongue wasn't complying. She fumbled in her jacket for her phone. It was missing. When Helen looked around, she saw it a few metres away, crushed beneath the gar's monstrous claws.

"This is what we're going to do," Leera started and opened her rucksack. She pulled out a syringe with purple fluid inside. "This will counteract the poison, but only for a short while. It should give us enough time to get you back to my car." Lee smiled apologetically as she pushed the needle into Helen's arm. "I'm going to take you somewhere safe. I have all the necessary medicines and bandages, but it's going to be a long night."

Helen felt a tingling in her legs and arms. Leera put her arms under Helen's shoulder and helped her up. When they shuffled past her phone, Helen paused and tried to grab it. She nearly fell over, but it was enough and Leera grabbed the phone.

"Wow, you forget how strong those gars are," Leera muttered, stuffing the twisted piece of metal and plastic into her pocket.

They struggled through the trees until Leera recognized the path she took coming into the park. It was a short trip after that to the carpark. Leera carefully put Helen into the back seat, grabbing a towel to stop the bleeding.

"I'm not sure if you did this on your own or if you're part of a whole team of abnormal followers or whatever," Leera said as she wrapped the towel around Helen's waist. "People might start missing you. I promise, I'm not kidnapping you. But, I need to get that poison out of your system right now. I'll take you home after that. The only reason I'm doing this is for both our safety, all right? Don't panic."

Helen didn't understand, but when she suddenly felt drowsy a small cry of protest left her lips. Leera grabbed Helen's shoulder as she lost consciousness and slowly lowered her down on the backseat. She covered her with a blanket and then jumped behind the wheel. The gar's poison was moving through Helen's veins at an alarming rate and Leera knew they didn't have much time. She started the car and pulled away in a blur of tyres and gravel.

LLLLL

"You did it! You killed Ashley!" Helen was screaming at the top of her voice. Leera was glad she had paid the extra money for sound-proofing her walls.

It had been only two hours since the gar's attack and they had gotten back to Leera's apartment in time. She had quickly cleaned Helen's wounds and wrapped them in bandages soaked in the purple antidote and padded with a healing gel. Even though the poison was being drawn from Helen's wounds, it had enough time to fulfill its purpose. The gar's toxin was a double-edged sword. It acted to paralyse its enemies by attacking the nervous system and causing intense hallucinations. Helen was fighting whatever demons were being created in her mind's eye.

Leera grabbed Helen's flailing arms and tried to restrain her. She pinned the surprisingly strong women down on the bed for the umpteenth time.

"Helen! Helen, listen to me." Leera leaned down so that Helen had nowhere to look but in her eyes. Earlier she had tried to use her gift, but the poison had made a mess of Helen's mind. It was so disjointed and in utter disarray that Leera had almost been dragged into the madness herself.

"Helen, try to remember," Leera tried again, glad to see the wild fires in Helen's eyes die down slightly. "You were attacked by a gar. The poison is making you hallucinate. You're safe with me. Whatever you think you're seeing, it's either something from the past or it's not real. Try to focus on my voice."

Helen struggled, but Leera's grip was steel. The brunette closed her eyes and when she opened them, her breathing was less ragged.

"Leera?" Helen was lost. It felt as if she had jumped off steady land and was floundering in rough seas. The light blue eyes above her were at least familiar and she clung to it. "What's happening? Where am I?"

"You're in my apartment, you're safe." Leera slowly released Helen's wrists and moved to sit next to her on the bed. "The gar's poison is playing very cruel and unusual tricks on your mind. Don't worry. It might get worse before it gets better, but you'll be all right." Leera started in surprise when Helen leaned her head against the blonde's shoulder.

"Don't leave." The phrase was a whisper but further emphasized by Helen shifting her body and wrapping her arms around the brunette.

"Never," Lee replied. She hugged Helen and slowly rubbed her back. When she heard deep breaths coming from the brunette, she reached down and pulled up the blanket to cover them both.

LLLLL

Leera's head snapped up. She looked at her wrist, but it was still ten minutes before she needed to change Helen's bandages. Her neck ached and she rolled her shoulders. She was sitting on the floor against her bed. Sounds of steady breathing came from behind her and Leera smiled. It was just before sunrise and the poison was almost completely out of Helen's system. Leera had been redoing her bandages every two hours during the night with her special ointment. The process was simple but lengthy. Neither woman had gotten much sleep.

A tinny sound came from her watch and Leera's eyes flickered open again. She stood up and stretched. The pair of shorts and t-shirt she had on would never be the same again. They were stained purple with spots of red. Leera's arms were covered in scratches and a few bruises from Helen's more violent hallucinations. The bandages were already laid out and ready in the fridge and Leera went to pull out the next set.

The doctor's face had a thin sheen of sweat, but the colour was slowly returning to her skin. Leera carefully sat down next to brunette and started undoing the old bandages.

"Ashley? Where are you?" Helen's voice was raspy from all the shouting. Leera had been surprised by the pure will and strength of the older woman. Her shoulder ached from Helen's last outburst which had ended with a massive right-hook. She had been accused of killing Helen's daughter countless times through the night. But with each new hallucination, Helen seemed to recover her senses more quickly.

"Helen, focus on my voice. It's Leera. You're in my home." Leera repeated the littany while slowly removing the old wrappings. "You were attacked by a gar in the park. I'm putting on new bandages so you might feel a bit of cold around your waist."

"That is freezing," Helen replied as her eyes snapped open.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Leera mentally breathed a huge sigh of relief. Helen hadn't been this lucid since the attack. "Let me get you some water and throw away these painfully purple rags. Don't move. You're still weak."

Helen shifted into a half-sitting position and gritted her teeth. Her entire body ached as if she had been running a gauntlet days on end. She watched as Leera threw the wrappings in a big dustbin in the kitchen and opened one of the two fridges.

The kitchen and bedroom formed one big open space with a living room next to the bed in the corner. It was a large loft apartment and high up. Helen could see the city skyline throught the many windows. A shelf filled with books to the ceiling stood against the one wall. A small ladder was next to it. There was a dresser next to the television set and the few trinkets on it were neatly arranged. Helen assumed the one door led to an enclosed bathroom. Another door in the kitchen must be the only exit.

"Here," Leera said and helped Helen sit up straight. "Drink slowly. You were struggling to keep down liquids earlier."

Helen took small sips, very aware of Leera's arm around her back, supporting her. She had flashes of being cradled by those same arms and they were not unpleasant memories. "Thank you."

Leera nodded and put the glass on the small table next to the bed. "It's a good sign that you're this aware. There should be very little of the poison left in your system. I have one more set of bandages and then you can go home."

"Where am I?" Helen asked. Her eyes darted to the door in the kitchen. She felt ashamed, but still not certain if she could trust this woman.

"What do you remember?" Leera shifted to sit facing Helen. Very carefully, Leera opened her mind. Helen's emotions were still jumbled.

"I remember meeting you at the club." Helen ran a hand through her slightly wet hair. "Imagine my surprise when I see you expertly fend off a gar a few weeks later. What was in that syringe?"

"I gave you my own special concoction. It contained an antidote and a light sedative as well. I had thought to use it against the gar, but it came in handy with you. Why are you so suspicious? I remember the bit where I saved your life."

"True, but then you drugged me and drove off to who knows where. What do you want with me? Who are you working for?"

Leera took a deep breath. Even without Leera's gift, Helen's anger was evident in the way she glared at her and clutched the sheets. Leera smiled and said, "I'm glad to see the stories about the great Doctor Helen Magnus are true. Even after almost dying, you're still a force to be reckoned with."

Helen frowned, but quickly brought two and two together. "The hallucinations. How much do you know?"

"Probably more than you would be comfortable with. I know most of your friends at the Sanctuary: Will, Kate, the Big guy. Who would have thought you would still find a -."

"You had no right! How dare you take advantage of me like this? Did the Cabal send you?"

Leera's reaction was instantaneous. She saw in Helen's surprised eyes that she must have projected some of her disgust and fear into Helen's mind as well.

"I would never associate myself with the Cabal. As far as I know, most of their cells have been destroyed. And I want to remind you again of the whole _I saved your life_ thing. This wasn't some conspiracy, Helen. Believe me, I would much rather have not become involved at all. I value my privacy as much as you do."

"Then why did you? My team would have come looking for me."

"You were dying. I could help. And who's to say anyone would have found you in time? You were lucky I had some antidote with me otherwise you wouldn't even have made it out of the forest." Leera stood up and briefly closed her eyes. Helen suddenly felt as if a window had been closed, cutting off a draft of wind. "And besides, I couldn't let such a great kisser just die."

Helen opened her mouth to answer, but no words made it past her lips.

"Ah, now this must be a rare moment. Helen Magnus speechless." Leera laughed and clutched her stomach. The corner's of Helen's mouth lifted, much to the disgust of the paranoid part of the doctor's mind.

"Who are you really? Why were you in the forest?" The injured brunette wanted to believe this strange woman meant her no harm, but caution prevailed.

Leera pulled at one of the living room chairs, turning it around to face Helen. She plonked down and put her feet up on the bed. Leera sighed as her body relaxed into the soft cushions and said, "My name is Leera. I didn't lie to you about that. I've been working with abnormals since I can remember. It's sort of a family business. I wanted to get to the gar before it fertilized its eggs. I have a friend in Tibet who runs a small reserve for certain kinds of abnormals. The gar would have been happy there and away from prying eyes."

"All right. Let's assume I believe you." Helen ignored the frustrated sigh coming from the chair. "How did you know what herbs the gar would respond to? How did you know to kneel? I have done extensive research on this species and I have never come across any such information."

"My family have been involved with abnormals for generations. Heaps of centuries of generations. Some of the knowledge I read in books and some I learnt from my mother and grandparents."

Helen stared at the blonde. Something was missing. There was more to her than simple family heritage. Through the receding fog of the poison, cogs turned and clicked in Helen's mind. "You're an abnormal."

Leera chuckled. "Helen, I hope I never face you as an enemy. You're so much more than what I've heard. Formidable doesn't even cover it."

"Don't change the subject. What are your special abilities?" Helen would never call herself vain, but the flattery was having a calming effect.

"You've experienced it already in bits and pieces." Leera gave another small push and saw the tension leave Helen's shoulders completely. "The very few who know about it call it a gift and others a curse. I'm still deciding."

Helen frowned, but leaned back into her pillows again. She stared at Leera, trying to see past the smile, past the innocent eyes and the complete sense of contentment oozing from the younger woman.

"You're telepathic! You're controlling my mind!" Helen's sudden realization came with an attempt to get out of bed, but her legs were too exhausted to be of much use. Leera had to help her get back up from the floor.

"I'm not a mind-reader like that. I can't order you to do anything," Leera said after she patiently drew the covers back over Helen. "I'm more of an empath. I can feel other's emotions and to a certain extent I can project my own emotions to them."

"But you can influence people, make them feel whatever you want." Helen was short of breath after her failed escape attempt.

"Yes, I could if I really wanted to, but I don't," Leera replied sternly. She took a few steps away and inhaled deeply. Again, it felt as if a slight breeze had left the room. "Did you feel that? Few people can. I can open and close my mind to emotions. Sort of like tuning in to brainwave frequencies. I'm a receiver and transmitter. With the gar, I felt how angry it was at your presence. It was furious at the lack of respect so I kneeled and made myself vulnerable. The gar felt in control again. The herbs made it leave because they're a favourite for building nests." Leera stopped pacing and glanced at Helen. "I can't believe I'm telling you this. My number one rule is remain hidden. Never reveal who or what you are."

"It's only fair. You know everything about me. At least now I know a bit more about you." Helen cocked her head. "Your gift is somewhat similar to a vampire's mind control, isn't it?"

"Maybe a little, but I usually don't wear a cape or have shark teeth," Leera quipped. "Since the sun's come up, I'm going to make us some breakfast. Maybe toast with cheese or something. Tea? Coffee?"

"Tea, please," Helen quickly replied. She had an awful taste in her mouth and could feel her stomach rumbling beneath the sheets. Leera had done exceptionally well with her bandages. Usually it would have taken days to recover from a gar's attack, but Helen felt she'd be back on her feet by late afternoon.

Leera nodded in reply and got busy in the kitchen. She made two cups of tea, but used different tea bags. It took only a few minutes and Leera had two plates with toast and some jams, cheese and butter. Leera handed Helen her breakfast and put her tea within reach. They ate in silence and Leera enjoyed the slow movement of the rising sun's rays against her walls.

"You'll be good as new before you know it," Leera said as she walked back to the kitchen. She put all the dishes in the sink. "A few more bandages and those cuts should be completely poison-free."

"Thank you," Helen said, looking out the window, but then back at Leera as she returned to the bed. "I do recall you being here and comforting me through the night. Helping me. I apologize for my rude accusations earlier. Unfortunately I've found it better to be careful."

"Apology accepted," Leera replied, folding her legs under her on the chair. "But, I'm sorry too."

"For what?" Helen frowned as Leera's smile turned guilty. "You've drugged me again, haven't you?"

"Yes. When you wake up, you'll be safely back at the Sanctuary. I promise."

"Why?" Helen's vision blurred. She tried to keep her eyes open, but it was futile.

"I can't risk anyone knowing where I live. Not even you." Leera stood up and pulled the covers up over Helen's shoulders. She placed a quick kiss on Helen's cheek. "Sweet dreams."

LLLLL

Greece had always held a sense of adventure for Leera. The amount of history the country represented had intrigued her since she was a little girl. One of her favourite books growing up had been about Greek mythology.

Leera shifted her feet and leaned against the stone column. It was early, but the dawn chill was vanishing quickly. The sun sparkled on the ocean in front of her. The island was one of many dotted around the coast of Greece. This one was home to a special kind of abnormal. Rumours had been rife at the nearest village about a strange creature lurking among the ruins. The villagers had been talking about raiding the island to either stop the monster or get rid of whomever was responsible for the strange noises. Leera hoped to capture the abnormal before anything like that happened.

The blonde absently rubbed her shoulder. The bruising had completely disappeared, but Leera kept thinking about the woman who had caused it. Leera smiled as she thought of what Helen's reaction must have been when she returned to her loft. The blonde was certain the infamous Doctor Magnus would try to track her down. Leera had left her a note wishing her all the best and apologizing for a deserted apartment. The loft had no sign that anyone had ever been there. The note felt too short, but Leera didn't think putting her real feelings on it would have been a good idea. The second note Leera left at the park after she went back to successfully capture the gar. This one was a bit more taunting and Leera chuckled at what she could imagine must have been a very beautiful scowl on Helen's face when she found an empty gar's nest.

The sun was still rising, but the mediterranean heat was already making Leera wish she'd brought more sunscreen. She glanced at her watch and then again to make sure the time was right. From what she knew about this particular abnormal, it should have stuck its head out of the ruins hours ago. Something was wrong. Leera moved out of her hiding place behind the crumbling columns and slowly made her way downhill. The entrance to the collapsed underground ruins stood open and Leera felt a strange lack. She couldn't sense anything. No birds, small animals, not even the fishermen on the boats a few hundred metres away. The hair on her neck and arms stood on end and she did a quick scan of the crumbling stone walls around her. Her heart rate kicked up a notch as she forced her mind to search for any emotion from anything. Leera strained against some invisible barrier, but then felt it. She opened her eyes and turned, staring straight into a pair of striking blue eyes.

"Helen?" The word had barely escaped Leera's lips before she felt a piercing pain in her chest and collapsed to the floor.

LLLLL

"Magnus, do you really think this is necessary?" Will Zimmerman had to jog to keep up with Helen Magnus. They were making their way to the elevator and Kate joined them as the doors closed. Helen pulled a lever and they descended to the Sanctuary's underground levels.

"Will, I've already explained this to you. This woman is more than she seems. Of that I'm certain. My precautions are more than justified." Helen crossed her arms.

"But, she didn't even put up a fight on the island," Kate said, taking a step back from Helen's glare. "I'm not saying she's innocent. She's just not acting like some evil agent trying to kill us."

"Am I to understand that you both doubt my judgement in this matter?" Helen asked, glancing at her two companians as she exited the lift.

"I think Henry and the Big Guy agrees with us too," Will quickly replied as he and Kate followed Helen down the corridors. "You might be overreacting."

"What could possibly make you say that?"

Will shook his head and indicated the cell in front of them. The side facing them was made of bulletproof glass and the walls were reinforced concrete. Leera was standing up and strapped into a rack with steel bands around her legs, wrists and forehead. Cameras in each corner of the cell tracked any movement she made, however tiny and restricted.

"I'm so glad you're here," Leera said. Her head felt ready to explode and her heart was running a marathon against her chest. "You have to let me out of this thing. I can't -."

"I'm not listening to any more of your lies." Helen stepped up to the glass next to the small holes which allowed her voice to carry into the cell. "I know who you really are. You're a Cabal agent. I'm not releasing you until you tell me everything."

"The Cabal? Didn't we go through this already? I don't work for anybody." Leera hated the metal surrounding her body, but was glad it was keeping her upright. She was completely overwhelmed and didn't think she could be standing on her own two feet without it.

"You're lying. I know about the vampire source blood. I almost didn't see it, but the evidence in your blood and DNA is irrefutable. Only the Cabal could have imbued you with it."

"How the hell did you get my DNA? I scrubbed that apartment until my nails almost fell off from all the bleach."

"I tested my clothes and blood after you brought me back to the Sanctuary. I wanted to make sure I really had been affected by gar poison." Helen had a flash of guilt. "There was some of your blood on my jacket after you helped me that night. I found an irregularity in your DNA. At first, I thought it must have to do with your abnormal gifts. But when I looked closer, it was easy to recognize the source blood's influence."

"I can explain that." Leera gasped as Helen's deep sense of betrayal hit her. She could feel the confusion coming from her friends as well. "You have to let me out of this metal torture thing. My gift is -."

"No more lies," Helen interrupted fiercely. "If you're not going to tell me why the Cabal sent you, we have nothing more to discuss." The brunette whipped around and stalked off, ignoring any further pleas from Leera. Kate and Will ran after her. "No one is to speak to her or see her without my authorization. She could use her abilities to influence anyone into opening her cell."

"How dangerous can she be?" Will asked. "Henry has that whole electrical dampening field surrounding her. It worked on the island."

"I'm not taking any chances. Especially when it comes to the Cabal. Is that understood?" Helen waited for both Kate and Will to nod before she headed back to her lab. If Leera didn't want to give her answers, perhaps there were some in her DNA.

Helen rubbed her eyes. She had been staring through her microscope for the past three hours. The images she had collected of Leera's blood cells were thrown over all the monitors on the desks around her. Helen pushed her chair to the computer and called up the DNA test results again. There must be something there to explain how the Cabal introduced the source blood into Leera's genetic code. What unnerved Helen was the lack of splicing or any other kind of genetic manipulation. The more Doctor Magnus delved into Leera's DNA, the more evidence she found for the complete opposite of her hypothesis. The vampire source blood markers seem to be hereditary. They were intertwined with Leera's DNA, but that should not be possible.

Helen rubbed her eyes for a second time and stood up. Perhaps a break would bring more clarity. She saved her notes and switched off the computer and screens. Helen knew she was acting more on emotion than reason and did not appreciate the irony. Leera had gotten under her skin. As much as Helen wanted to deny it, she felt a connection with the younger woman. It wasn't simple lust or a random reckless streak that had driven her to follow Leera to the bridge that night. Or that had made her breath slip away when she saw her in the forest. Helen felt something for Leera. Her unresolved feelings towards this mysterious woman made the betrayal even more hurtful.

The doctor switched off the laboratory's lights and walked into the main enclave. She was still trying to solve her recent prisoner's source blood puzzle when a noise startled her. The doctor looked around but neither heard nor saw anything. That in itself was unusual. The compartments on this level housed the more vocal of her abnormal guests, but Helen only heard her own breathing. A chill raced down her spine and Helen sprinted down the corridor towards the holding cells.

LLLLL

The grass came up strangely slowly and slammed into Leera. She struggled to figure out why everything was the wrong way around and realised she must have collapsed again. The grass felt damp under her fingers and she relished in the life radiating from the tiny green blades. But, it wasn't enough. She needed something bigger. Something with more energy. The emotions were bubbling in her mind like a frustrated volcano. The sides were boiling over and Leera had to use all her willpower to reign it in. She moved to a sitting position and stood up carefully. A huge oak tree came into view and she almost burst into tears. Only a few more steps.

"Stop!"

Leera turned, but moved too quickly and stumbled to the ground again. Helen stepped towards her, but the younger woman held up a hand. "Don't come any closer."

"Don't threaten me in my own house." Helen's voice was calm, but every word had icicles hanging from it. "What did you do to Henry?"

Leera grabbed at the ground and pushed herself up again. "Henry will be fine. I had to scare him a little to let me out. You have to let me go."

"You attack one of my people and expect me to listen to your demands? I'm taking you back inside. Please, feel free to resist."

"Don't touch me!" Leera words came out louder than she expected. "You don't understand. My gift …"

"Is a lie," Helen replied, stepping closer. "It was invented by the Cabal who injected it into you. You're coming with me."

Leera tried to push Helen away, but she was too weak. The dark-haired doctor bent down and roughly gripped Leera's arms. Leera felt her gift yelp in pleasure. She tried to stem the flow, but could do nothing as Helen gasped and fell to her knees. The walls in Leera's mind opened and the emotions came rushing through her and straight into Helen.

"No," Leera whimpered, but it felt so good, just like it did all those years ago. Finally the pressure and the pain was being released. The storm in her mind started to calm down and she regained her focus. Leera glanced down and felt a tear run down her cheek. Helen's eyes were wide and her mouth open in a silent scream. Millions of pieces of anger and hate were being pushed into Helen's mind and she could do nothing to stop it.

"No!" Leera shouted. With everything in her, she resisted the oh-so-sweet pull of her gift and pushed Helen away. "I won't do this. I am in control."

Helen fell to the ground and gasped for breath. Her heart was running too many beats per second, but the terrifying and intense pain was gone. She pushed herself up and saw Leera a few metres away. The younger woman stumbled again, but crawled the last few steps to the oak tree.

"Sorry," Leera whispered and put her hands against the trunk. For a split-second, she felt the majestic age and life energy of the tree. Her gift quickly took over, finding a lesser but adequate release. In a matter of seconds, the healthy greenery was reduced to a sickly, thin grey stick. Helen watched in grim fascination as the tree folded into itself, shrivelled and died.

"See, I promised I wouldn't hurt you," Leera said. She tried to get up, but didn't make it past her knees before hitting the ground and losing consciousness.

LLLLL

Helen slowly woke up. She blinked twice, her fuzzy thoughts trying to piece together why she was lying on her arms. The sheets were soft against her cheek and the doctor turned to face the bed's occupant.

"Hi," Leera said with a smile and a wave. "I would say morning, but I'm not sure what time it is. Or what day it is."

Helen glanced at her watch. She stretched and realised she was still holding Leera's hand. There was a moment yesterday when she'd thought she'd lost her. The memory of that instant brought back all the guilt and fear Helen had felt and she shook her head slightly.

"It's all right, Helen. I feel fine." Leera could see the conflicting emotions racing across the brunette's features. She squeezed Helen's hand. "Did you stay with me all this time?"

"Of course. I had to relieve my guilt at locking you up somehow." Helen rubbed her eyes.

"What made you change your mind? Did the Cabal send an email saying I'm not one of their spies?" Leera chuckled. She felt wonderfully light.

"No, but that probably would have saved you a lot of grief," Helen said. She released Leera's hand and pushed herself off the bed. The room lit up as Helen opened the curtains. It was early morning and the skies were clear. She leaned against the wall, crossed her arms and said, "You could have killed me. There was a moment, I felt it, where I was dying. If you hadn't pushed me away, I wouldn't be speaking to you right now. No matter how many angles I can think of, there would be no logical reason for a Cabal agent to let me live."

"Thank you, I'm glad you believe me. I am sorry. I never meant to make you feel so betrayed. There are things about me you don't know. I'll try and answer the loads of questions you must have as best I can." Leera pulled at the sheets and swung her legs off the bed. "But, first I need to check on Henry."

"Wait, you're much too weak." Helen rushed around the bed and put her arms around Leera's shoulders as she stood up. "Henry's been acting strange, but he can wait a bit longer."

"Helen, you do care!" Leera smiled as a slight red flush crept up the doctor's neck. She leaned into Helen and caught the brunette's gaze. Helen felt her breath hitch at the intensity in Leera's eyes. She stood frozen as Leera shifted closer and placed a kiss right next to Helen's lips. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you everything. I'm not used to trusting people."

"And, I should have trusted my instincts," Helen replied. "I hate to admit it, but my feelings for you confused the hell out of me. I may have acted too rashly."

"Too rashly? Helen, you chased me down across continents, captured me and locked me up. What would you have done if you were one hundred percent sure I was out to get you?"

Helen grinned and this time Leera had no words as Helen's beautiful smile made the blonde's chest flutter. The doctor grabbed Leera's lips in another kiss which left the blonde grateful she had someone holding her steady.

"Let's be glad you will never have to find out and leave it at that, shall we?" Helen chuckled at the silent nod from Leera. Perhaps she was a better kisser than she thought.

"What's going on here?" Helen asked as she and Leera reached Henry's room. Kate, Will and the Big Guy were clustered around the door, trying to talk through the noise coming from inside.

"Henry went all wolfie and started smashing up his room." Kate spared Leera a frown before adding, "Whatever little Miss Telepath did, I think it fried his brain."

"He seems lucid, but refuses to come out of his room," Will interjected with an agreeing grunt from the Big Guy. "We can't convince him to talk to us and I didn't think barging into a room with an unhappy hap was a good idea."

Leera stepped out from under Helen's supporting hold. "Henry's scared. I might have pushed him a little too much when I was trying to get outside."

"You think?" Kate said as a loud crash echoed from the room. "Why aren't you back in lockup in any case?"

"Because I'm not here to hurt anyone. Give me a chance to prove that."

Leera didn't wait for a reply and opened Henry's door. It was chaos. The furniture would never be the same again. Shredded clothes were everywhere and it took a second for Leera to adjust to the sudden brightness. All the curtains had been torn down. A low growl came from the room's furthest corner. Leera steadied herself and very carefully opened her mind. She ignored the emotions coming from Helen and the others as they slowly followed her into the disaster zone. The only thing Leera focused on was Henry. He was crouched against the wall and had curled his considerable size into the smallest ball of fur possible.

"Henry, it's Leera. I'm sorry about yesterday. I had very little choice, but I can explain." The blonde slowly moved closer and choose a relatively open spot on the floor to sit down. Her voice remained calm, but she could feel the paranoia spiking erratically from Henry. "My gift can be tricky. I absorb other's emotions and can project any emotion back. But, there's a balance. Any kind of metal around my body interferes with my abilities and those steel straps made it impossible to close my mind. The Sanctuary has so many guests with so many different feelings. I became like this black hole with all the emotions around me falling in. I couldn't stop it. The massive amount of energy created became unbearable." Leera noticed that Henry was looking up. His breathing had slowed down considerably. She was successfully absorbing the excess fear she had pushed into him. "With so much power, your forcefield became useless. I overestimated how much emotion I used against you. I'm sorry. Once I got outside, I could release all that power into something living and get back to normal."

"That's some gift," Kate mumbled and the others stared at her. "What? Did you see what she did to that tree?"

"The fact remains that Leera could have destroyed all of us. Instead she risked her life to get away and siphon off the energy safely." Helen glanced at her friends. "I was wrong about her."

"We should get that in writing," Henry joked. "Doctor Magnus is almost never wrong." He finished changing into his human form and Leera quickly handed him some slightly torn clothes. "Thanks, I feel much better. Less voices in my head."

"Hmm, paranoia plus a good dose of terror will do that to you. Hang on a second." Leera gently examined the emotions radiating from Henry's mind, but could find no further traces of anything that didn't belong. "There, back to normal."

Leera grabbed an overturned chair and pulled herself up. The move was less than successful and Helen quickly jumped forward. She put Leera's arm over her shoulder and helped her walk to the door.

"You still need to rest," Helen said as they shuffled out into the corridor. Kate and Henry raised their eyebrows and Will shrugged.

"I think you just can't keep your hands off me, Helen," Leera quipped, shifting her weight.

"Be careful what you wish for," Helen replied softly and the blonde in her arms chuckled. The remaining Sanctuary team watched as the pair made their way down the corridor.

"What the hell was that?" Kate asked. Henry started to turn his furniture right way up and his friends moved to help.

"I've never seen Magnus act like this," Will added, grabbing the other side of the couch with the Big Guy. "In the past few weeks she made so many rash decisions and changed her mind about Leera so quickly."

The Big Guy grunted and made a sound the others knew to be laughter.

"What do you think?" Henry asked his big friend and nodded thanks to Kate. They started sorting out the scattered clothes into piles of throw away or relatively whole.

"Magnus likes her," the Big Guy said and the others stopped what they were doing. "She hasn't been this alive since Ashley died."

"She's acting so irrationally," Will said. "Is it a good thing Magnus trusts Leera? We're still not sure who she is."

"You do irrational things when you're in love," the Big Guy said, chuckling at the shocked expressions on his friends faces.

"Good for Magnus," Kate said, breaking the silence.

"Really? What about the whole frying Henry's brain?" Will asked.

"If anyone deserves a break, the Doc does. She's been through hell. If this Leera makes Magnus happy, we should trust the Doc's judgement."

"And she did unfry my brain," Henry added.

"That doesn't mean we can't keep an eye on her," Will said. His friends nodded and carried on cleaning up Henry's room. Haps really have a unique take on interior decorating.

LLLLL

The air rushed out of Leera's chest as her back slammed down on the wooden floor. She only had a second to recover before Helen came bearing down on her with her staff. The blonde twisted out of the way while swinging her right leg out. The floor was given another slam as the doctor's legs were swept out from under her. Leera knew she had to use this rare advantage. The empath kicked Helen's staff away before straddling the older woman and holding her hands in a vice grip above Helen's head.

"I told you I feel fine," Leera smirked, slightly out of breath as she leaned down and hovered inches above Helen's nose. "No more tests needed. Full recovery."

Helen's whole body was on fire, heat radiating from below her stomach where Leera had her pinned. The brunette tried to convince herself it was the adrenaline from a good fight, but then Leera focused her entire gaze on the captured doctor and she shivered. Leera's grin widened and Helen took a deep breath. "You win this round. Let me up."

"No." The blonde's blue eyes sparkled as Helen scowled. "We have two options. Either we ignore the fact that you completely undo me and make me want to tear your clothes off and melt into you everytime I see you." Leera gulped a quick breath. "Or …"

With Leera staring at her like that, a fresh wave of heat rushed through Helen's body. She briefly closed her eyes, but couldn't steady her breathing. "Or what?"

Leera smiled, not believing the words coming from her mouth. It had been two weeks since her so-called capture. At first, she had thought she could work through her infatuation with Helen Magnus and move on. Her plan was flawed. The more time she spent with Helen, the more she felt her own heart open. She had never before given so much of herself to anyone. Leera had told Helen things she thought she would never share with anyone else. Of course, there was always that one secret she kept hidden and she buried it again when the guilt of not telling Helen reared it's head like it was doing now.

Leera felt a hint of fear roll off Helen and she paused. "Do you want me to stop?" The blonde released Helen's hands and pushed herself up slightly. The doctor kept silent. "Tell me what you're thinking."

A decision was made and Helen's eyes flickered. She cupped Leera's face gently in her hands and smiled boldly. "Or what?"

Leera's smiled couldn't be happier. She didn't wait for further encouragement and captured Helen's lips with her own. Helen's hand slid down her back and Leera lost all other trains of thought.

LLLLL

"Ow!" Leera yelped and pulled her arm away.

"It would hurt less if you stop acting like a baby," Helen said. She grabbed Leera's wrist again and held her arm steady. The lights in the laboratory gave the red wounds an extra strong contrast against Leera's lighter skin.

"It wouldn't hurt at all if you didn't feel the need to constantly put yourself in danger," Leera replied, jabbing Helen in the ribs. The sudden jerk of Helen's muscles indicated a ticklish spot and Leera happily filed that information away for later.

"I had the situation under control." Helen picked up another cotton tip and carefully applied the green gel to Leera's upper arm.

It had been a routine mission to pick up an already captured abnormal. But before they could reach it, the abnormal had escaped. After hours of tracking it, Helen, Leera and Will had the creature cornered. With Leera's gift, they could calm the creature down, but the abnormal took a sudden liking to Leera and made a grab for the younger woman. Helen had jumped to intervene, spooking the agitated creature. It attacked, but Leera could get it away from Helen and calm it down again. She earned a few nasty scratches, but the distraction gave Will the opening to inject the abnormal with a heavy sedative.

"Yeah, ten painful slashes of control," Leera continued. Helen's movements slowed down. "Helen? What's wrong?"

"Don't you already know?" Helen asked, putting down the bandages and sitting next to Leera on the bed.

"That would be cheating. I only use my gift for the greater good." Leera frowned at the very small smile on Helen's face. Her jokes usually got more reaction than that.

"I'm not sure I like you being here," Helen said and crossed her arms. She glanced at Leera and said, "And I also love that you're with me everyday. That's the problem. I've only known you for a few weeks, but what I feel … It scares me. I do not appreciate the feeling."

Leera leaned her head against Helen's shoulder and intertwined her fingers with Helen's. "Does it help that I feel the same? You ruined my plan. I had rules. Keep to yourself and you'll live longer."

"What now?" Helen turned and looked for answers in Leera's eyes. The same eyes that made her feel so loved and so grounded.

"Enjoy every moment we have together," Leera replied, caressing Helen's cheek. "If there's one thing my many years in this world has taught me, it's that everything can and probably will change in seconds. The only certainty is now."

Helen smiled and kissed Leera. She felt the blonde gasp slightly as she wrapped her arms around Leera's waist and deepened the kiss.

"Taxes and death are quite certain as well." The women broke apart and glared at the intruder. Nikola Tesla was not perturbed and added, "Did I interrupt? How rude of me." The dark-haired ex-vampire was rubbing his hands together in glee.

"No, I'm sure you have something important to report to Helen," Leera said and stood up. She gave Helen a quick hug. As she walked past Tesla, she slapped him squarely through the face.

"I didn't say anything," the ex-vampire said and rubbed his cheek.

"You were thinking it loudly enough," Leera replied. She grinned in Helen's direction before turning the corner.

"What did you uncover, Nikola? Were my suspicions correct?" Helen asked. She grabbed all the bloodied material together and threw it away.

"Aren't you going to comment on what happened? Your girlfriend physically assaulted me."

"With good reason. I'm sure your thoughts were quite lascivious," Helen replied, enjoying the annoyed look on her colleague's face.

"I think I preferred the grief-ridden Helen Magnus. All this love and happiness is making me ill." Tesla wilted under the Doctor's considerable stare. "I take that back, but this really stings."

"Back to business. Did you find out something about our little tail?" Helen crossed the lab and sat down in front of her computer.

"Yes and so much more. You were right as per usual. For the last few weeks you have been followed by a Mister Dominic. He's the typical mercenary for hire, but he used to be employed by our close friends the Cabal."

"Who's he working for now?" Helen swivelled in her chair to face Nikola. "Are you sure he's not still employed by some splinter cell left over from the Cabal's heyday?"

"Why not ask him yourself?" Tesla practically preened. "As always, I more than delivered. Mister Dominic is in one of your less comfortable rooms."

Helen rushed past Tesla who once again felt unappreciated.

LLLLL

Leera jumped under the covers and slid in next to Helen in the bed. The Doctor gave her a quick peck on her cheek and then resumed working on her laptop.

"We missed you at dinner. What are you doing?" Leera settled into the pillows and turned to face Helen.

"Nikola did some good work. He managed to capture that annoying man who's been tailing us. I went to interrogate him, but he refused to tell me anything about his potential Cabal involvement. Or why he was tracking us." Helen felt Leera stiffen next to her.

"Why does the Cabal keep popping up? I thought most of their operations were destroyed."

"Yes, they do seem quite resilient. But, I believe our Mister Dominic is no longer in their employ. I think someone else hired him. We need to determine why."

Helen had gotten quite attuned to Leera's moods and the subtle ways her gift would surround her. The sudden absence of it was unsettling and Helen glanced at the woman next to her. Leera's face was a mask.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wish some things would stay in the past. It feels like no matter what you do, your sins always catch up." Leera's mind was reeling. How did he find her? She had been so careful. She should never have become involved with Helen. The so-called rules she meticulously followed had saved her life many times in the past. Breaking them had its price and Leera had a sinking feeling it that this time it would be too high.

"I get the feeling you have some specific sin in mind. Care to share?"

"I don't want to worry you. Please, forget I said anything."

"All right. But, perhaps we can discuss this further tomorrow?" Helen asked and Leera gave a quick nod. "You know there is nothing you can say that would make me love you less. There are things in my past I'm not proud of either. And I have a considerably more lengthy past than you do."

Leera raised herself and enveloped Helen in a tight hug. She pulled back after a minute and kissed the surprised Doctor.

"What was that for?" Helen said after she'd regained her breath.

"You used the word 'love'. I haven't been at the receiving end of a sentence like that in a very long time." Leera picked up the computer on Helen's lap and move it to the table next to the bed. She shifted to straddle the smiling Doctor and carefully took off her glasses and added them to the table as well.

"With the possibility of sounding ridiculously needy, can I assume you share my feelings?" Helen felt her heart expand as Leera laughed and graced her with a beautiful smile.

"Absolutely," Leera replied. "And even though I enjoy listening to your lovely accent, the time for talking is over."

Helen couldn't agree more and made certain Leera knew that.

LLLLL

Mister Dominic woke up the next morning to a very unpleasant sight. One of the biggest abnormals he had ever laid eyes on shook him out of his bed and then promptly tied him to a metal chair.

"You're wasting your time," Dominic smirked. "This is amateur scare tactics. I've seen much worse in my line of work."

"I'm not the one you should be afraid of," the Big Guy replied and indicated the woman behind him.

Doctor Helen Magnus was furious. Her tailored suit and tied-back hair couldn't contain the raw anger emanating from every fibre of her being. Her day had not started well. Helen had woken up in an empty bed. The only trace she could find of Leera was another damned hand-written note. Through her confusion, Helen only touched on some of the words, but the meaning was clear. Leera was gone. For some reason, the younger woman felt it would be better if she left the Sanctuary. If she left Helen. Doctor Magnus knew her empathic skills were exceptionally limited, but she would bet her life that this wretched man in front of her was somehow involved.

"Do you know this woman?" Helen took a seat across Dominic. The picture was one she had taken of Leera during a mission on a tropical island the weekend before.

His eyes flickered briefly. "No. Like I told you yesterday. I have nothing to say to you." Helen nodded and stood up. She walked to the nearest laboratory bench and put on a pair of surgical gloves. Dominic flinched ever so slightly and said, "What are you doing? I'm telling you, I don't scare easy."

Helen ignored his protests and slipped her arms into a white labcoat. Very carefully, she removed a tray of vials from the closest refrigerated cupboard. Each vial contained a different coloured fluid and Helen slowly inspected each one before selecting the light green. The Doctor didn't need to look at her prisoner to know he was squirming in his seat. The syringes were kept in the lowest drawer and when Helen took one out, Dominic violently struggled against his restraints.

"Listen, we can make a deal, can't we? Tell me what you want." Dominic try to shift in his chair, but the Big Guy held him in place.

Helen kept her eyes fixed on the vial and attached the metal needle to the syringe. She slowly drove it throught the vial's sealed top and extracted 100ml of green fluid. She grabbed some plastic tubing and went to sit next to Dominic. By this time he was hysterical and babbling wildly about any scrap of information he thought might be important. Helen made a tourniquet around his left bicep with the plastic tubing. As she lifted the syringe to plunge it into the thrashing mercenary's arm, Helen paused.

"Tell me about the woman in the photo."

"She's some kind of special abnormal." The words came tumbling out of Dominic faster than bullets from a gattling gun. "The Cabal loved her. I used to take care of her, if you know what I mean. She was really valuable. They treated her way better than any of their other projects."

Helen's heart did a somersault into her mouth, but she tried to control her train of thoughts before they derailed. She had made incorrect assumptions before.

"When did she work for the Cabal? How high up in the organisation was she?" Helen had to repeat her questions to interrupt the fountain of confession spouting from Dominic.

"What? You got it wrong, lady. She wasn't working for them. She was their slave. You know, their prisoner. They let her out when they needed her skills for some job or whatever." Dominic grinned at the shock on Helen's face. "And she was good at it. They had her in chains for a long time."

"The Cabal captured her as a teenager?" Helen's mind was jumping between elation and confusion. Why hadn't Leera told her any of this?

"I'm not sure," Dominic said and his grin got wider. "You don't know a lot about her, do you?"

"Mister Dominic, you will stop grinning at me like an idiot and start telling me everything you know about this woman." Helen brought the syringe right underneath Dominic's nose. His cockiness quickly evaporated. "I can promise you I don't like being lied to."

After that, Helen simply listened as parts of Leera's life were explained to her in all its painful and cruel detail.

LLLLL

The waves were crashing loudly against the rocks and on the beach. The wind whooshed through the palm trees and dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. A storm was brewing across the water and even someone who had never before seen a rain cloud would feel the need for shelter. Leera absorbed every minute of the sand whipping in her face and the spray wetting her clothes. The pure madness matched her mood.

She was conflicted. Helen's face tormented her waking moments and gave her no rest at night. There were moments when she wished she had never met the woman, but Leera would rather die with the few memories of Helen she had than none at all. A sudden bright light and overpowering thunder brought the blonde woman back to reality. Large drops of rain pelted down and she made a dash back to her cabin. The cyclone season was not popular with tourists and Leera was happy for the lack of people. No sooner had she closed the door behind her, when she felt it. The taste of these particular emotions were achingly familiar.

"Are you going to taser me again?" Leera asked and flipped the lights on. Helen was standing in front of the glass doors facing the porch. Her hair was damp and her jacket was dripping water on the floor where it lay across a chair.

"Only if you try to run away," Helen replied, showing her empty hands.

"Then stop chasing me," Leera pleaded. "You've seen what my powers can do. It's safer if I'm not around."

"You can control your abilities and you would never hurt me. Try again." Helen crossed her arms, but was shaking inside.

"Why are you making this so difficult?" Leera threw off her soaking coat and marched towards Helen. "I'm doing this to keep you from getting hurt. You don't know me. I am a monster. I've done terrible things. I've killed hundreds of people and that's not an exaggeration."

"Then talk to me. Tell me who you really are so that I can make up my own mind. You owe me that at least."

Leera balled her fists, but finally relented. "You should sit down for this." Helen choose the couch, but Leera remained standing and hugged herself. "I'm part of a long line of empaths. My great-grandmother used to tell me stories about one of our early ancestors falling in love with a vampire. I don't know how true that is, but we do share certain traits with them. That's why you found those genetic markers in my DNA. It runs through my entire family."

Leera paused and stared out the window. The ocean was bubbling and frothing with waves bashing chaotically against everything. Rain lashed the glass and she could hear the wind howling past the house.

Helen suddenly slapped her hands against her legs and shook her head. "All the comments you made, the amount of abnormal knowledge you have, the connection I felt with you. I can't believe I didn't think of this before." She stared at Leera as if seeing her for the first time. "How old are you really?"

"I was born in 1785 on a lovely little vegetable farm somewhere in eastern Europe. I grew up surrounded by loads of relatives. I only realized it was strange having your great-great-grandmother around when I turned ten years old. We age differently. Until you turn twenty, it's like normal humans. After that time flows much more slowly."

"How did you stay hidden? Why haven't I heard anything about your family before? Such abnormal abilities must be rare." Helen couldn't believe she hadn't realised the truth earlier.

"You follow the rules. Stay hidden." Leera's smile turned grim. "Most of my family have been hunted, enslaved or killed. The power we have is too great. And not all of my relatives were very nice people."

"How did the Cabal become involved?"

Leera shivered involuntarily. "They somehow heard rumours about empaths who could control emotions and potentially kill other abnormals and humans. I was young and careless. They captured me and used me as a weapon."

"That doesn't make you a monster. The Cabal forced you to hurt people. You can't blame yourself for that."

Leera sat down next to Helen and smiled wanly. "That might have been true in the beginning, but I stopped caring. I stopped fighting. I simply let them use me as they saw fit." Water droplets ran down Leera's cheeks. "They would put me in chains and fill the room with people and abnormals. Everyone was so frightened of the Cabal that their emotions tumbled into me so quickly. Within hours I would be delirous with the amount of energy I was holding. I lost myself in the thrill. The Cabal used that. They would simply release me wherever they wanted to. I would grab the nearest living thing and let my gift take over. Then I'd move on to the next and the next until all my energy was released. After I was done, the Cabal would take me back and start it all over again. I killed so many people." Helen put her arms around the crying woman, but Leera shrugged her off and stood up again. "Since then I've been doing everything possible to pay back the debt I owe. I help people and abnormals wherever and whenever I can. But it will never be enough."

"You're wrong." Helen went to stand next to Leera. The rain was coming down in buckets and you could barely see past the porch. "You did fight. How else would you have escaped? And, as you say, you've used your gift to save so many lives – mine included. That counts for something."

"I got sick of everything. The Cabal, what I'd become. I couldn't do it anymore." Leera closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the glass. "My plan was to escape and find the highest bridge and jump off. I couldn't handle going to sleep and seeing all the lives I'd taken. I knew the Cabal would never kill me so I started to practice controlling my powers again. One day, I caught my guardian unawares and stunned him. I grabbed the closest plant I could find and poured all my excess emotions into it. Then I made my way through the underground tunnels and never looked back."

"Why didn't you kill yourself?" Helen asked, her heart aching at every new revelation. Dominic hadn't covered the half of it.

"Someone beat me to it. To the bridge I mean. It was the first time my power felt like a gift and not a curse." Leera smiled at the memory. "A young girl was about to jump. Her parents were abusive, but I could convince her she had other options. There was so much life left for her. I had never before controlled my powers so well. I used them to make her relax and allow her to see past her own fears."

"And while you helped her, you realised you had some living left as well," Helen added. It was wonderful to see that smile on Leera's face again.

"Yes. I felt I had to help others. To somehow balance all the pain I had caused."

"Why did you leave me?" Helen tried to keep the hurt from her voice.

"Dominic was the last guardian I had. When I saw him again, I knew I couldn't have a normal life with you." Leera took Helen's hands in her own. "People like him will keep on chasing me. If I stayed at the Sanctuary, you would only get caught in the cross-fire. I never want to see you get hurt." Leera let go of Helen and walked to the door. "I think you should go now."

Helen joined Leera at the door, but pinned the younger woman against it. "That is complete rubbish and you know it. I can understand how difficult it must be carrying so much guilt. You know I carry some myself. But, I will not let you shut me out. We're good together. And, yes, I'm scared too. I can't imagine what I'd do if something ever happened to you, but neither you nor I can control the future. No matter how old we are."

"I could hurt you! I could kill you if I lost control. Forget about all the maniacs trying to capture me." Leera raised her voice above the anger bursting through her chest. "I don't want to lose you!"

"Then stop acting like an idiot and come back to me!"

Leera opened her mouth to disagree, but found her words were useless against Helen's lips. The brunette held Leera's arms against her sides and kissed her again. It felt to Leera as if the moment lasted forever and not long enough.

"Now that you've stopped being ridiculous, let's get out of here before the cyclone destroys this place." Helen stepped back slightly and chuckled at the conflicting emotions spiralling through Leera's eyes. "You know I'm right."

Leera stared at Helen and a slow smile crossed her features. "I love you, Helen Magnus."

"I know, I'm just glad you remembered that as well," Helen replied, quickly wiping an errant tear away.

"You will get tired of me," Leera tried a final time. "We both live too long."

"For the first time in decades, I'm glad I might live forever." Helen felt a small sob escape Leera's lips as she buried her head in Helen's shoulder. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"I know, isn't it wonderful?" Leera replied, cupping Helen's face and kissed her again. The storm continued to rage around the cabin, but both women had everything they needed right in front of them.


End file.
